Because of its western location, which saved days of sailing time, La Rochelle enjoyed successful fishing in the western Atlantic and trading with the New World, which served to counterbalance the disadvantage of not being at the mouth of a river (useful for shipping goods to and from the interior). Its Protestant shipowning and merchant class prospered in the sixteenth century until the Wars of Religion devastated the city.

The period following the wars was a prosperous one, marked by intense exchanges with the New World (Nouvelle France in Canada, and the Antilles). La Rochelle became very active in triangular trade with the New World, dealing in the slave trade with Africa, sugar trade with plantations of the Antilles, and fur trade with Canada. This was a period of high artistic, cultural and architectural achievements for the city.

Robert de La Salle departed from La Rochelle, France, on July 24, 1684, with the objective of setting up a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi, eventually establishing Fort Saint Louis in Texas.

The city eventually lost its trade and prominence during the decades spanning the Seven Years' War, the French revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. During that period France lost many of the territorial possessions it had in the new World, and also saw a strong decrease in its sea power in the continuing conflicts with Britain, ultimately diminishing the role of such harbours as La Rochelle.

In 1809, the Battle of the Basque Roads took place near La Rochelle, in which an English fleet defeated the French Fleet of the Atlant

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The little clam shell hides its' most treasured possessionA beautiful pearl, which took time to build to perfection.Is it no wonder we give our beloved pearls to symbolize our love.Love is a Pearl of Wisdom.It protects, treasures, demonstrates compassion, kindness and vulnerability.It honors, respects and seeks justice.It stands by you through thick and thin believing in you.It accepts you for the person that you are and never judges.

Love brings out the best in people.

The little pearl understands it because it was designed and protected against the earth's elements by the greedy little clam, who shuts out the world, enveloping it in its soft masses,so it could evolve into the mostprecious, soft glowing, symbols of Love.Thank heaven for little girlsfor little girls get bigger every day!

Julio Iglesias is the eldest son of Dr. Julio Iglesias Puga (from Galicia) and Maria del Rosario de la Cueva y Perignat; Carlos is his younger brother. When the singer was 61 years old, his 89-year-old father sired more children: half brother Jaime (18 May 2004), half-sister Ruth (26 July 2006). Julio's siblings were born of Dr. Iglesias's second marriage to Ronna Keitt.In the early sixties, when he was a law student in Madrid, he briefly was goalkeeper for one of Real Madrid's youth soccer teams; however, a 22 September 1963 car crash truncated his footballer's career: I had a car accident; [a] very, very strange car accident . . . I lost control of the car, and rolled it, resulting in what they call 'paraparexia', which is not a paraplegi[a]. It's a compression in the [spinal] cord, in the sense of the neck . . . my spinal cord; and I was very, very ill for three years.His doctors thought he would never walk again, but slowly, he began recovering his health. To develop and increase the dexterity of his hands, he began playing guitar. When recovered of health, he resumed academic studies, and travelled to England to study English language, first in Ramsgate, then at Bell Educational Trust's Language School in Cambridge

Two immigrants arrive in the United States and are discussing the difference between the Old Country and the U.S. One of them says that he's heard that people in the U.S. eat dogs, and if they're going to fit in, they better eat dogs as well. So they head to the nearest hot dog stand and order two 'dogs.' The first guy unwraps his, looks at it, and nervously looks at his friend.

"What part did you get?"------------------------------

It's the spring of 1957 and Bobby, a pretty hip guy with his own car, goes to pick up his date. When he goes to the front door, the girl's father answers and invites him in. “Carrie's not ready yet, so why don't you have a seat?” he says. “That's cool,” says Bobby.

Carrie's father asks Bobby what they're planning to do. Bobby replies politely that they will probably just go to the soda shop or a movie. Carrie's father responds, “Why don't you two go out and screw? I hear all the kids are doing it.” Naturally, this comes as quite a surprise to Bobby, so he asks Carrie's dad to repeat it. “Oh yeah,'' says Carrie's father, ''our Carrie really loves to screw. She'd screw all night if we'd let her!”

Well, this makes Bobby's eyes light up, and his plan for the evening is beginning to look pretty good. A few minutes later, Carrie comes downstairs in her little poodle skirt and announces that she's ready to go. Almost breathless with anticipation, Bobby escorts his date out the front door.

About 20 minutes later, Carrie rushes back into the house, slams the door behind her and screams at her father: “Damn it, Daddy! It's called the twist!”============================================

Sunday, July 12, 2009

I urgently needed a few days off work, but, I knew the boss would not allow me to take leave. I thought that maybe if I acted 'Crazy' then he would tell me to take a few days off.So I hung upside-down on the ceiling and made funny noises.

My co-worker (who's blonde) asked me what I was doing.

I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb so that the boss might think I was 'Crazy' and give me a few days off.

A few minutes later the boss came into the office and asked, 'What in the name of Heaven are you doing?'

I told him I was a light bulb.

He said, 'You are clearly stressed out.' Go home and recuperate for a couple of days.'

I jumped down and walked out of the office...When my co-worker (the blonde) followed me, the Boss asked her, '..And where do you think you're going?!' (You're gonna love this....)

Life involves both organic and inorganic chemistry. Teeth, shells, and bones are both organic and inorganic. The human body is 18% carbon. Graphite conducts electricity but a diamond doesn't.But it is strong, powerful and bright, a womans delight:)Walking along a sea shore we find many little stones with shiny diamonds in them. They are not diamonds, probably quartz . You can't help but think that maybe, once upon a time ago, this stone in your hand could have been an animal or a relative ( since we are all related from Adam and Eve).And as you read further and discover, had you not picked up this stone, it would still be on its path to becoming a diamond as the world goes full circle.Aspen Mortuary speeds up the process, to make "Life Gems" from deceased people.Six months of pressure gives you a yellow diamond and 9 months produces a blue toned one. Eight ounces of ash can make 10, one carat diamonds and the prices range from 3k - 20k.Reading on it is interesting they can make a diamond film to use in silicon in computer chips or as surgical cutting instruments, from tequila.Using high pressure, can also turn oxygen and peanut butter, into a diamond.Now if we ever come across a planet that shines like a diamond, we can guess how it got to be that way.Closer to home, next time you breath air, eat peanut butter, drink tequila or pick up a stone on the sea shore, just remember, it's a diamond waiting to happen . lolI can just see guys now, giving their fiancee a jar of peanut butter or a bottle of tequila, instead of a ring.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

A blonde was driving across several states to go visit her family. She was five hours late and her family was getting worried. When she finally got there she explained that she had seen 10 signs that said “CLEAN RESTROOMS AHEAD...”